UBRC Report

Utah Birds Records Committee – Report for 2022

Stephanie Greenwood, Mike Hearell, Max Malmquist, Keeli Marvel, Bryant Olsen, Kristin Purdy, Mike Schijf, David Wheeler and Kevin Wheeler,  Non-voting Members:  Milt Moody (Secretary/Webmaster), Eric Huish (Archivist), Cody Neuman (eBird Liaison)

This annual report of the Committee summarizes 71 records of 43 species submitted in 2022.  The Committee accepted 57 of these records (80.3%).  The primary reason for records being rejected by the Committee was insufficient descriptive details to eliminate similar species.  Other reasons included: signs that the bird may have been a hybrid as well as that field marks and other details may have been misinterpreted due to poor lighting conditions, long distance to the bird and photograph or lighting distortions.

Incoming committee member for the 2023 year, Mark Stackhouse also participated in the review of some of the records included in this 2022 report  The report was compiled by Milt Moody and edited and revised by Kristin Purdy.  Comments for some of these records were taken from the comments made in the review process or by others - indicated in italics at the end of the comments.

This year a sight record for one new species was accepted by the committee.  A first state sighting of an Alder Flycatcher  (2022-30) from Little Dell Reservoir, in Salt Lake County was reported by Adam Zahm . The sighting was documented by photos, sound recordings and by many observers over a period of three days.  This bring the total of species on the official Utah State Checklist to 462 and with seven "Provisional Species" on the Auxiliary List, brings the total of species with documented sighting accepted by the committee to 469. 

Using the suggestion by Bryant Olsen that review may be warranted if a species is rare but still annual in small numbers, but its exact status is obscured by being easily misidentified as a similar and more common species - seven species fall into this category and were added to the Review Species List: Gunnison Sage-Grouse, Lark Bunting, Common Gallinule, White-winged Crossbill, Acorn Woodpecker, Red-shouldered Hawk, and Ruddy Turnstone.
 

The Utah Bird Records Committee would like to thank those individuals who submitted documentation of their sightings. The Committee encourages all observers to document and submit a report of unusual sightings. Multiple documentation of sightings is more valuable than a single report, since one observer may notice key field marks not reported by other observers; those field marks may contribute significantly to the value of the record. The submission of photographs and recordings of songs or calls, along with the written documentation is strongly encouraged by the Committee.

SPECIES ACCOUNTS:

All species evaluated by the Committee are listed by common and scientific name using the nomenclature and taxonomic order of the American Ornithological Society Checklist of North American Birds, 63rd supplement, followed (in parentheses) by the number of Utah records accepted for this species in the last ten years and the total all-time number of official sightings for Utah.

The following information is included with each record in the species section:  record number, sighting date and  location, observers, with the initial finder listed first, then other contributors, if any, followed  (in parenthesis) by the number of birds observed along with age and sex if known and a link to any photos and finally, the  final-round vote of the committee with the first number being the “accept” votes and the second number being the “not-accept” votes.  For those records that were not accepted, a review summary (in parenthesis) will follow the final round vote. Any comments about individual records will be in italics after that record and comments about the species records as a whole will be in a final italicized paragraph at the end of the species section.

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) (0 / 0)

    2022-06 - 27 Feb 2022 - Deer Creek Reservoir, Wasatch Co.  by Bryant Olsen  (2 adults, 1 juv., Photo)   2nd round: 0 acc, 9 No, Int   (Though it is not clear when an introduced species becomes and established species, the committee decided that Mute Swan had not yet reached that level for Utah).
 

Mexican Duck (Anas diazi) (8 / 8) 

    2022-09 - 2 Oct 2021 - Tonaquint Nature Center, St. George, Washington Co.  by Jenner Bryson  (male, Photos)  1st

 round:  9 acc

    2022-01 - 7 Jan 2022 - Provo River Parkway trail, Utah Co.  by Ben Stradling  (adult male., Photos)   2nd round: 8 acc, 1 not

    2022-08 - 27 Mar 2022 - East Canyon Reservoir, Morgan Co.  by Weston Smith  (adult male, Photos)
 1st round: 0 acc, 9 not   (There were too many signs of hybridization for the committee to accept this record).

    2022-19 - 2 May 2022 - San Juan River, San Juan Co.  by Mike Thompson  (adult male) 
3rd round: 4 acc, 5 not  (Given the high incidence of hybridization with Mallards, committee members wanted a more thorough assessment of hybrid characteristics). ~ k.purdy

    2022-63 - 7 Oct 2022 - Powell Lake, Lehi, Utah Co.  by Marissa Reay (male, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

Scaled Quail  (Callipepla squamata)  (0 / 2)

    2022-18 - 2 May 2022 - San Juan River, San Juan Co.  by Mike Thompson  (adult male heard) 
2nd: round:  0 acc, 9 not   (Several problems with this record including the possibility of the bird being introduced, swung all the votes to not accept this record).

Vaux's Swift  (Chaetura vauxi)  ( 10 / 28)

    2022-07 - 29 Apr 2021 - Sandy Beach, Utah Co.  by Jeff Cooper  (One adult, Photo)  1st round:  8 acc
    2022-16 - 23 Apr 2022 -21st Pond, Weber Co.  by Kenny Frisch  (one AHY, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

    2022-20 - 8 May 2022 - San Rafael Swell, Emery Co.  by Dee Golles  (one)  1st round: 0 acc, 9 not   (There was not enough information in this record to eliminate similar species).

    2022-21 - 8 May 2022 - Willard Bay SP, Box Elder Co.  by Bryant Olsen  (at least two, Photos)   1st round: 9 acc

Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)  (3 / 10)

    2021-47 - 3 Sep 2021 - Jordan River Parkway, Salt Lake Co.  by Bryant Olsen  (One)  1st round: 9-0

Hudsonian Godwit   (Limosa haemastica)  (5 / 19)  
    2022-32 - 11 May 2022 - :Willard Spur WMA, Box Elder Co.  by Cameron Cox  (female, Photos)  2nd round: 9 acc
    2022-36 - 5 Aug 2022 - :Willard Spur WMA, Box Elder Co.  by Kristin Purdy  (adult, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

Ruff   (Calidris virgata)  (7 / 12) 
    2022-04 - 12 Feb 2022 - Farmington Bay, Davis Co.  by Darren Clark  (two., Photos)  1st round: 9 acc
    2022-35 - 30 Jul 2022 - :Antelope Island Causeway, Davis Co.  by Max Malmquist  (adult female, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

Red Phalarope  (Phalaropus fulicarius)  (19 /30)
     2022-33 - 2 Jul 2022 - :Antelope Isalnd Causeway, Davis Co.  by Ian Batterman  (juvenile, Photos)  2nd: 0 acc, 9 not  (The photos and description were not able to overcome questions about the timing of the plumage to eliminate the possibility of a Red-necked Phalarope).

    2022-62 - 5 Aug 2022 - Antelope Island Causeway, Davis Co.  by Paul Linton  (adult Photos)  2nd round  0 acc, 9 not  (The possibility of this being a Red-necked Phalarope was not excluded by the documentation).

    2022-37 - 12 Aug 2022 - :Antelope Island Causeway, Davis Co.  by Bryant Olsen  (adult, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

    2022-56 - 9 Oct 2022 - Rockport Reservoir , Summit Co.  by Bryant Olsen  (one adult, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

Long-tailed Jaeger  (Stercorarius longicaudus)  (7 / 16)

    2022-39 - 28 Aug 2022 - :Lee Creek Delta, Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake Co.  by Bryant Olsen (juvenile, Photos)  2nd round: 9 acc

Arctic Tern  (Sterna paradisaea)  (2 / 2)   
    2022-34 - 10 Jul 2022 - :Bird Island (Utah Lake), Utah Co.  by Taylor Gallagher  (adult, Photos)  2nd: 8 acc, 1 not

Red-throated Loon  (Gavia stellata)  (13 / 23)
    2022-11 - 31 Mar 2022 - Rockport Reservoir, Summit Co.  by Dave Hanscom  (one, Photo)  1st round: 9 acc

Yellow-billed Loon  (Gavia adamsii)  (4 / 13)

    2022-59 - 14 Oct 2022 - Rockport Reservoir, Summit Co.  by Ben Stradling  (one, Photos)  2nd round 1 acc, 8 not  (There was confusion between the descriptions of the bird and the photos that were posted, so that Common Loon could not be eliminated as a possibility).

    2022-64 - 15 Nov 2022 - Hyrum Reservoir, Cache Co.  by Bryant Olsen & Stan Croft (juvenile, Photos, Photos2 )  1st round: 9 acc
 

Tricolored Heron   (Egretta tricolor)  (1 / 4)

    2022-12 - 20 Apr 2022 -Provo Airport Dike, Utah Co.  by Ben Stradling  (adult, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc
 

Zone-tailed Hawk  (Buteo albonotatus)  (15 / 26)

    2022-17 - 17 Apr 2022 - Mouth of Virgin River Gorge, Washington Co.  by Bill Hunter  (one, Photo)  1st round:  9 acc
    2022-22 - 30 Apr 2022 - Blue Springs Reservoir, Washington Co.  by Amanda Northrup  (adult, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

    2022-13 - 2 May 2022 -Lytle Ranch Preserve, Washington Co.  by Quinn Diaz  (Adult, Photo)  1st round: 9 acc
    2022-54 - 5 Jun2022 - Pine Valley, Washington Co.  by Mike Schijf   (adult, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

Snowy Owl  (Bubo scandiacus)  (2 / 11)
    2022-67 - 12 Dec 2022 - Brigham City, Box Elder Co.  by Spencer Smith  (juvenile female)  2nd round:  0 acc, 9 not  (Because of the difficult viewing conditions and the details of the description not eliminating other similar species, the reviewers could not accept this as a very rare Snowy Owl).

Great Gray Owl  (Strix nebulosa)  (3 / 8)

    2022-05 - 17 Jan 2022 - Layton, Davis Co.  by Amy Harvey  (adult, Photo)  2nd round: 8 acc

Boreal Owl  (Aegolius funereus)  (10 / 14)

    2022-38 - 23 Sep 2021 - :Murdock Basin, Wasatch Co.  by Jeff Cooper (adult, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

    2022-44 - 23 Sep 2022 - Murdock Basin, Wasatch Co.  by Jeff Cooper   (four adults, Photo)  1st round:  9 acc

    2022-55 - 3 Oct 2022 - No. slope of Uinta Mountains, Summit Co.  by Jeff Cooper  (five adults, Photo)  1st round: 9 acc
    2022-57 - 10 Oct 2022 - West end of Uinta Mountains, Summit Co.  by Jeff Cooper  (2 adults, Photo)  1st round: 9 acc
    2022-58 - 15 Oct 2022 - Near Provo Falls, Uinta Mountains, Summit Co.  by Jeff Cooper  (4 adults, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  (Sphyrapicus varius)  (22 / 29)

    2022-66 - 6 Dec 2022 - Copperton City Park, Salt Lake Co.  by Bryant Olsen (juvenile, Photos )  1st round: 8 acc

Gyrfalcon  (Falco rusticolus)  (3 / 9)
    2022-26 - 7 Apr 2022 - Snowbasin, Weber Co.  by Connor Johnson  (juvenile, drawings)  1st round: 0 acc, 8 not  (Similar species, such as Prairie Falcon, were not adequately eliminated by the description).

    2022-70 - 23 Dec 2022 - LaSal Mountains, Grand Co.     by Steve Heinrich (juvenile, Photo )  1st round: 9 acc
  

Dusky-capped Flycatcher  (Myiarchus tuberculifer)  (2 / 2)

    2022-15 - 23 Apr 2022 -Lytle Ranch Preserve, Washington Co.  by Lisa Thompson, John Neill  (one, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

Great Crested Flycatcher  (Myiarchus crinitus)  (2 / 3)

    2022-49 - 29 Sep 2022 - River Lane, Utah Co.  by Sizi Holt  (one, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

Thick-billed Kingbird   (Tyrannus crassirostris)  (1 / 2)

    2022-50 - 5 Oct 2022 - Salt Lake International Center, Salt Lake Co.  by Bryant Olsen (one, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

Alder Flycatcher  (Empidonax alnorum)  (1 / 1)

    2022-30 - 21 Jun 2022 - :Little Dell Reservoir, Salt Lake Co.  by Adam Zahm; Ben Stradling  (adult, Photos)  1st round:  9 acc     first state record
 

Yellow-throated Vireo  (Vireo flavifrons)  (3 / 6)

    2022-47 - 27 Sep 2022 - Near Peterson, Morgan Co.  by Weston Smith  (one adult, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

Philadelphia Vireo  (Vireo philadelphicus)  (4 / 7)

    2022-43 - 25 Sep 2022 - Willard Bay SP, Box Elder Co.  by Quinn Diaz (one, Photos)  1st round:  9 acc

Winter Wren  (Troglodytes hiemalis)   (11 / 12)

    2022-03 - 21 Dec 2021 - Zion National Park, Washington Co.  by Jenner Bryson  (one., Photos)  2nd round: 0 acc, 9 not  (This bird was thought to be, more likely, a Pacific Wren).

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma bendirei)  (1 / 10) 

    2022-14 - 23 Apr 2022 -Seegmiller Marsh, Washington Co.  by Quinn Diaz  (Adult, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)  (5 /9) 

    2022-10 - 9 Nov 2021 - Lytle Ranch Preserve, Washington Co.  by Terri Pope  (male & 2 females)  3rd round: 6 acc, 3 not

Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)  ( 0 / 4) 

    2022-53 - 9 Oct 2022 - Kanab, Kane Co.  by Michael Salamacha      (adult)  2nd round:  0 acc, 9 not  (Without a photo, it was a difficult task, for this very rare species, to eliminate the possibility of another similar bird).

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch  (Leucosticte australis)  (7 /8)
    2022-65 - 27 Nov 2022 - LaSal Mountains, Grand Co.  by Steve Heinrich (one, Photos )  2nd round:  0 acc, 9 not  (After some discussion on this difficult ID, the committee finally decided that this was probably a hatch year Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch).

Rusty Blackbird  ( Euphagus carolinus)  (14 / 22)  

    2022-41 - 9 Nov 2019 - :Ken's Lake, San Juan Co.  by Glenn Kincaid (adult female, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc
    2022-68 - 19 Dec 2022 - SLC Water Treatment Plant, Salt Lake Co.  by Lauri Taylor (adult female, Photos )  1st round: 9 acc

Ovenbird   (Seiurus aurocapilla)  ( 12 / 27)  

    2022-23 - 21 May 2022 - Matheson Preserve, Moab, Grand Co.  by Max Malmquist  (adult, male?, Photos)  1st round:  9 acc

Golden-winged Warbler   (Vermivora chrysoptera)  (3 / 6)  

    2022-28 - 6 Jun 2022 - Jeremy Ranch, Mormon Flats Morgan Co.  by Ben Stradling  (adult male, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

Prothonotary Warbler  (Protonotaria citrea)  (9 / 18)     

    2022-29 - 4 Jun 2022 - Matheson Weblands Preserve, Moab, Grand Co.  by Kristen Hayes  (one, female?)  1st round: 9 acc

Tennessee Warbler   (Oreothlypis peregrina)  (17 / 19)  
    2022-40 - 7 Sep 2022 - Near Beaver Creek, Grand Co.  by Glenn Kincaid  (adult male)  1st round:  9 acc
    2022-42 - 22 Sep 2022 - Near Peterson, Morgan Co.  by Weston Smith (one, Photos)  1st round:  9 acc
    2022-48 - 23 Sep 2022 - Jordan River Parkway, Salt Lake Co.  by Rachel LeBlanc (adult male)  2nd round: 7 acc, 2 not
    2022-61 - 12 Oct 2022 - Sullivan Virgin River Park, Washington Co.  by Ellen Tipping  (one)  2nd round: 3 acc, 6 not  (The description of the colors on this fall bird seemed to cause some confusion and doubt about this ID, among those evaluating this record).

Magnolia Warbler   (Setophaga magnolia)  (6 / 16)

    2022-25 - 27 May 2022 - Skipper Bay Trail, Provo, Utah Co.  by Ben Stradling  (adult female, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc
    2022-69 - 17 Sep 2022 - Kolob Reservoir, Washington Co.  by Annie Beckstrand  (adult female)  2nd round: 0 acc, 8 not  (The description provided did not eliminate the possibility other similar species).

Chestnut-sided Warbler   (Setophaga pensylvanica)  (13 / 30)  

    2022-27 - 29 May 2022 - Willard Bay State Park, Box Elder Co.  by Max Malmquist  (adult male, Photos)  1st round:  9 acc
    2022-45 - 10 Sep 2022 - Salt Lake International Center, Salt Lake Co.  by Max Malmquist (one HY, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc
    2022-46 - 20 Sep 2022 - Bountiful Pond, Davis Co.  by Max Malmquist  (one, Photo)  2nd round: 9 acc
    2022-52 - 7 Oct 2022 - Confluence Park, Washington Co.  by Mike Schijf   (HY female?, Photos)  1st round: 8 acc

Black-throated Blue Warbler  (Setophaga caerulescens)  (7 / 25)
    2022-02 - 17 Jan 2022 - Near Matheson Refuge, Grand Co.  Sara Timken  (male., Photos)  1st round: 9 acc

Black-throated Green Warbler  (Setophaga virens)  (2 / 2)
    2022-51 - 1 Oct 2022 - River Lane, Utah Co.  by Karen Welch      (one, audio)  2nd round: 7 acc, 2 not

Palm Warbler  (Setophaga palmarum)  (14 / 28)

    2022-24 - 26 May 2022 - Skipper Bay Trail, Provo, Utah Co.  by Ben Stradling  (one, maybe two?, Photos)  1st round: 9 acc
    2022-60 - 11 Oct 2022 - Hurricane Fields, Hurricane, Washington Co.  by Lucy Ormond  (one, Photos)  1st round: in progress:

Scarlet Tanager   (Piranga olivacea)  (3 / 9)
    2022-31 - 28 May 2022 - Willard Bay, Box Elder Co.  by Carter Hansen & Annie Beckstrand  (one male)  2nd: 0 acc, 9 not  (An initial inclination to accept this distinctive bird was changed by the lack of details in the documentation and the less-than-ideal lighting conditions of the observation, which left a reasonable possibility of a similar species).

* The heading photo is of a Boreal Owl
   by Jeff Cooper  (Record 2022-55)